Time For Termite Control? Warning Signs That These Nasty Critters Are Calling Your House Home

An infestation of these critters is not something you can handle on your own; you'll need to call termite control specialists. Termites are erosive bugs that form colonies and build nests in your home. These uninvited guests feed on a number of materials, including soil, leaves and the wood of your house. Termite experts have the tools and expertise needed to get rid of them, and they can also teach you how to prevent them from coming again. Here are some warning signs that tell you you're going to need to call the pro's.

Catch Them Where They Live

The first way to tell if you've got an infestation is to look for termites. They're big enough to be seen by the naked eye, and they look something like light-colored ants. The places to look are the cracks, crevices and nooks in your house's wood. You can sometimes also find them in places where the paint has cracked or blistered. These are the perfect hiding places for termites, and sometimes you can see that there's a colony living there.

Look For Damage

If you can't see the termites yourself, try looking for signs that they've been there. You might find powder that looks like sawdust around doors and windows. This fine powder is actually the wood that they've displaced while feeding. In the same area where you found the powder, you might find tiny holes in the wood or areas where the paint has started to bubble. These are other sure signs. If you see this strange powder, there's a good chance that termites are the problem.

Know Where To Look

These insects like warm, subterranean areas. If there is any part of your house where wood touches soil directly, especially in the basement, this is a great place to look. You can often see the mud tunnels they make to get to the wood. This is also where you might find powder, holes or wings that they've left behind. Another place to look is at doorways, windows and anywhere in the garage.

Use Your Trusty Screwdriver

One tough thing about termites is that you can't always see the damage they've caused. Your wood may be rotting from the inside out, but it will give no exterior visual signs. For this reason, it's a good idea to poke around suspicious areas with a screwdriver. Take any screwdriver and jab at the wood pretty forcefully. If you jab at an area of wood that looks perfectly healthy but it crumbles from the screwdriver easily, this means that you've got an infestation underneath that's not visible to the naked eye.

Call The Pro's

The best way to find out for sure if you've got an infestation is to call in some termite control specialists and have them search the house. With their years of expertise and sophisticated tools, they can cover every part of your home and find the nests. Once they find out exactly where the termites are nesting, they can use their tools to get rid of them, and they can also give you some golden tips for making sure you don't have termites camping out in your house's wood ever again.